Describe and understand key aspects of: physical geography, including: climate zones, biomes and vegetation belts, rivers, mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes, and the water cycle
Resources: The handout, pencils and coloured pencils.
Core Handout (2): The handout provides space for the children to design a poster to explain how to stay safe in an earthquake.
Challenge Handout (4): The handout provides space for the children to design their earthquake safety poster. It also has a prompt for the children to write an explanation about how earthquakes occur.
Recap the children’s learning about mountain ranges. Can they remember some famous mountain ranges and their key features? Use the presentation slides to briefly discuss how mountain ranges are formed.
Use the presentation slides to introduce the children to the tectonic plate theory (this should be kept simple as it will be expanded on in KS3). The children will learn about the plate boundaries, where they are located and the role of fault lines (long cracks in the surface of the Earth) in causing earthquakes. The presentation will show the children where earthquakes have happened around the world and explain the impact that has on the Earth’s surface and how to stay safe.
Ask the children to create a poster that explains how to stay safe during an earthquake.
Challenge Task: Ask the children to write a paragraph to explain what an earthquake is and its effects, such as surface damage or tsunamis.
Using the diagram within the presentation, ask the children to discuss in pairs how an earthquake occurs. Can they explain the impact earthquakes can cause and the effects on the Earth’s surface?
Earthquakes are sudden, violent movements of the Earth’s surface caused by the movement of tectonic plates. The Earth's crust is divided into several large and small plates, which float on the semi-fluid layer beneath. When these plates move or collide, they create stress along plate boundaries, and the release of this stress leads to an earthquake. The point where the plates meet is called a fault line, and earthquakes often occur near these fault lines. The tectonic plate theory explains how these plates constantly shift, leading to not only earthquakes but also the formation of mountains and volcanoes. Although complex, this process can be simplified for children by focusing on how the movement at fault lines causes the ground to shake.
Earthquakes vary in intensity and can cause significant damage to the Earth’s surface, leading to landslides, the collapse of buildings, and even tsunamis if they occur under the sea. Areas near major fault lines, such as the Pacific Ring of Fire, are more prone to frequent and powerful earthquakes. A key safety aspect during an earthquake is understanding how to protect oneself, such as by taking cover under sturdy furniture, staying away from windows and moving to an open space if outdoors. Introducing basic earthquake safety at a young age helps to build awareness of natural disasters.
In the classroom, students can learn to locate earthquake-prone regions by identifying tectonic plate boundaries on a world map. While studying these events, they can visualise the impact of earthquakes on different landscapes and communities, building an understanding of the forces that shape the Earth.